set the machine co-ordinate system zero, no sure what that means?try to set-up limit switches, using openbuilts control, also very new to this cnc
Read gnea/grbl and gnea/grbl in particular, but more importantly read the whole wiki start to end, even pages you think is irrelevant to you, have knowledge in them Whenever the machine homes with the "$H" command it automatically sets Machine Coordinates (G53 Coordinate system) You work in WORK COORDINATES which is G54 by default (could be G54-G59.1) and zero is set in those coordinates with the Setzero buttons or G10 commands
so when i type in ''$H'' it sets up the machine for zeroing ?so now move machine to one of the axis switch and touch it then click setzero button for that axis,does it set both switches for that axis
Homing and SettingZero are two different things in two different coordinate systems If you are beginner FORGET homing completely Disable Homing Cycle in Grbl settings, just leave Hard Limits enabled Then JUST use SetZero That technique is shown in the Hello World video (from about 6:50 onward) Machine Coordinates are advanced use cases get over the initial learning curve then revisit - you really don't need it initially (only when you get into jigs, offsets, and multi session jobs) Don't forget to go read the Grbl Wiki (; If you did, gnea/grbl would explain a lot of what you asked about.
now to set zero,jog machine until it touches switch and lite is on then click on set zero for that axis
No, as @Peter Van Der Walt said, forget about homing for now. You need to set zero to tell your machine where the workpiece is. When you set up your toolpath in your cam software you set an "origin" (could be front, left, top of your material or in the centre of the material for example) - set zero (your workplace coordinates) tells your machine where that point is. Jog to the place where you set the origin in cam software and then set zero. Alex.
wow got all axis zeroed,even did a gotozero xyz it work, 2 hips and a whora thank you all, but it only zeroed 1 side is that ok
Ok, I'm new here. Having a similar problem as cpu999-1! My homing is not working!! Hard to believe and somehow losing faith to GRBL ! I try to establish my home position (....similar to X000 / Y000) at front (for Y) and left (for X)! So far so good. I use NC for the switches, as I read that there are some problems with the non-existing Z-axis. I have the switches connected to the Arduino Nano board similar to the description in the Wiki. X to D9, Y to D10 and D12 I hardwired to GND, following the Wiki suggestion. I changed the config.h to have only the X and Y enabled for homing - recompiled it and flashed it to the controller. I played arround with the values in the GRBL-List ($$). So I managed to have both X and Y travelling with $H to the front and right toward the switches! Unfortunately the controller does not stop with the switches and rattles at the physical stop - both X and Y. First it seemed to me that the controller ignores the switches totally!? It's half-true - as I can activate the Y-switch manually, when X and Y is travelling with $H toward the switches, suprisingly to me, X-axis is changing direction and moves to the right! I have absolutely no Idea any more why this is behaving so strange! In the past I have equiped my CNC-machine with limit switches - no problem at all!! Why is it so complicated with GRBL? Anybody out there who knows the solution! Regards LaserPhaser
That would indicate either: - Switches miswired - Confused X and Y wiring Especially likely the second, because of: Sounds like what you think is the Y switch, is actually X.
Hi Peter, thanks for your fast response! Unfortunately I have checked nearly 10 times the correct wireing of the switches! Even have put a connector between the nano and the switches so that I can unplug the switch to plug it to the other aixs and vice versa. Everything seems to be correct! I have a system with two Y-axis motors. The board of the nano specifies Y-1 and Y-2 plus X and the Laser connector. Honestly I don't expect the writing on the board to be wrong. Is there any chance that I did something wrong with the config.h? This is the only area I have no deeper knowledge and rely on the info from the wiki's. Could you think of any line of definition that could cause such a behaviour? By the way - I have flashed the following software to the nano : v1.1h custom XYHoming [30.08.2019] Hope you have an idea! Regards LaserPhaser
I would open OBControl and use the troubleshooting page to check that the switches do exactly what they are supposed to do. so you should see all greens like this when no switch is pressed When you press the X switch, it should change to red and 'ON' in the display above. Same for Y of course. If you have a red display when no switch is pressed then you have to reverse the switches in the $23 settings (Use the GRBL Settings page for this, the best GUI for it ever!). Do make sure that your axes travel in the correct directions, tool moves right for X+ and tool moves away for Y+, and only after that is correct change the homing direction mask so that the tool moves toward the switches when the homing command is given. To echo what Peter said, read all of Home · gnea/grbl Wiki , it really will make all of this much much easier to do. Knowledge is power!
I am confused. What Arduino Nano board comes labeled with stepper axis? Is this what you are using? Or is it a Chinese controller with "nano" in the name?
Hi David, thanks for the tip to use OpenBuildsControl! Cool tool!! I simply don't understand, why this tool showed me that the switches were connected wrong! Which could be, as I tried quite some modifications and setups!!?? When I corrected the connections and re-checked with OpenBuildsControl, I ran a $H again! To my suprise the Y-axis moved toward the switch and stops, when hit!!!! This is not performed by the X-axis! When Y moves back from the switch by 10 mm, X moves toward its switch. When Y moves again toward its own switch, X stops again. When Y moves back again, X moves in the direction of the X-switch. When I manage that X reaches its switch, the axis does not stop and continues to bump into the physical limit! So only Y is performing a good homing! Strange to me - I had to invert only the Y-axis-direction that both axis move to front (Y) and left (X) for the Home position! I really wonder, why I couldn't see this behaviour before!? At least I am one step further to the correct homing with your help! Is it possible, that I still have to work on the config.h to correct the behaviour of X?? Best Regards and thanks a lot for your help so far!! If it would be helpful to upload any info/files - let me know! LaserPhaser
Hi Giarc, oh - I forgot - the Arduino Nano is exactly the core of the board that also contains 2 driver-boards, which are connected to the Nano and on the other side drives two Y-stepper and one X-stepper! On this "Carrier-Board" the connectors are marked with Y-1, Y-2 and X! Also the connector for the Laser is on that carrier! Sorry for being a bit unclear! Regards Laser-Phaser
OpenBuildsCONTROL > Wizards and Tools > Firmware Flashing tool can do that for you - and then you are sure its been done right Make sure its jogging in the correct directions as well... NB First move in the correct direction, then adjust homing dir - and its not guess work, you just say where you put the switches... If your switches are at axis maximas (back, right = default) its $23=0, if they are axis minima (front left, not default) then its $23=3 (inverting X and Y from the default of axis maximas, to the axis minimas where you chose to install your switches)
Hi Peter, thanks for your hints! Will try all tomorrow. Hope not to stress your patience tomorrow again! Regards and good night! LaserPhaser
